No power for two weeks and 1 day. CenterPoint arrived around 4pm and told us we need to contact the Texas Public Utility Commission. There is something wrong with the transformer load.

Mosquitoes are huge and vicious. My legs look like a strawberry muffin with all the red raised lumps.

Read on KTRH site that Houston is doing aerial spraying for the mosquito infestation. Wonder does this extend to the outer Katy area?

My husband is home off the road this weekend. At least we are all together.

Red Cross shelter at Bear Creek United Methodist Church on Highway 6 (Rippling Water) next to Wal-Mart neighborhood market. They are assisting families and accepting donations of dry food goods. They also need overnight volunteers at the church.

I do not attend this church but they are also the church that helps with the boy scout pack for my area in Western Katy.

The short two-page application is only two pages and can also be faxed. According to the yourtexasbenefits.com website, you do not have to provide documentation (bills or bank statements) of income at this time. If anyone was able to file for foodstamps or have additional information, please leave a comment so that others may be assisted.

You must apply by Oct. 17 by doing one of the following:

Visiting an HHSC benefits office.Download an application, fill it out and take it with you to the benefits office. English | SpanishThis is the fastest way to get help. If you can get benefits, you might get a Lone Star Card the same day.

Faxing an application toll-free to 1-877-447-2839.Download an application: English | Spanish

Calling 2-1-1.You can get more information about getting food stamps and start an application by phone.
After you dial 2-1-1, press 1 for English or press 2 for Spanish. Then press 2 for “Information about food stamps.”If you can’t call 2-1-1 on your phone, call 1-877-541-7905. Both numbers are toll-free.

Listed on the KTRH NewRadio website is a wonderful list of resources for people in the Houston area:

STATEWIDE ASSISTANCE

If you suffered damage from Hurricane Ike, you may be eligible for federal disaster assistance.

Help is available through FEMA, but first you have to register. Go online anytime to http://www.fema.gov/, or call 1-800-621-3362. The TTY number is 1-800-462-7585.

——————-
Islamic Circle of North America
Islamic Circle of North America (INCA) Houston Chapter relief department (called ICNA Relief) and the Islamic Society of Greater Houston (ISGH) will be providing basic services to all the Hurricane Ike evacuees like place to stay, food, water, etc at three of ISGF centers, which will be open 24 hours a day.
ISGH North Center
11815 Adel road, Houston, Tx 77067http://www.icnahouston.com/http://www.icnarelief.org/

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by the recent tropical cyclones to visit http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/ or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY.

Update: October 14, 2008. To all who have commented about receiving assistance from Fema or from the food stamp office please try contacting your local city council person or the mayor’s office for assistance. I sympathize with your problem. Keep trying to get through on the phone lines.

Go to the Houston Chronicle webpage for more assistance information:

More than 45,000 Texans apply for food stamps

More than 45,000 Texans have submitted applications for disaster food stamps after Hurricane Ike. Here are locations where people can apply for food stamps:

1100 Greens Parkway

12121 Westheimer Road

6118 Scott St.

2110 Telephone Road

10060 Fuqua

Abundant Life Cathedral, 11230 Harwin Drive

Offices are now open in the Beaumont-Port Arthur area and many other southeast Texas locations. A complete list of open offices is available at http://www.IkeFoodStamps.com. All offices in Houston and southeast Texas will be open extended hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. this week.

What a beautiful day in Houston. There is even a slight breeze this morning. The days are alright but the nights are not the most comfortable.

My family and I are very fortunate. I really feel for the moms/dads out there with small children. Disasters like Ike can wipe out any little financial cushion that you have. There are many in Houston who cannot not work due to workplaces still being close. Many people have jobs that pay by the hour and are not salaried positions. These people do not have paid off days or vacation days from these type of jobs. Forget about Wall Street and help the little ones.

Ten nights and no electric power. No fan at night because the car battery is draining faster due to the warmer weather.

The drainage ditch is very stinky at night. The mosquitoes are huge and vicious.

Every morning I check the Houston Chronicle site for information about which houses have restored power in the area. I am hoping that those red points move closer to my west Houston zip code. I also check the CenterPoint Energy site for projected power restorations for my zip code.

Little by little the local media is ceasing to cover stories about Hurricane Ike and instead are moving on to stories about the buy-out of Wall Street.

I am buying about 3 bags of ice a day at a cost of $1.75 each. There were never any PODS located anywhere near my house where I could obtain ice/water. So much for trying to keep a budget.

The kids and I are eating out every day since we are not able to preserve food. Double yuck!!! I love to cook and I dont care too much for the fast food these days.

Katy ISD schools are not offering free breakfast/lunch for families affected by power outtages/Ike even though Houston ISD schools offered meals. (Sometimes Katy ISD Administration can be out of touch with the population that they serve. The schools need to realize that the demographic/income levels have changed and they must adjust accordingly.)

I usually fix my kids lunch but because of not being able to preserve the food the kids are eating the school lunches. The school lunches end up being much more expensive than the lunchkits I make. My daughter does not like the school lunches and I fear that this may affect her energy level throughout the day.

Disaster Food Stamps are being offered to families who qualify. All you need to do is fill-out a two-page application. No documentation is required at this time but you do need to tell the truth.

Even though our power is out, we still had to make that $225 payment yesterday to the energy company right on schedule.

As a woman who grew up on a 200-acre fame in East Texas, I am realizing that our house was never designed to be without electrical power. The builder did not design porches, cross windows or shade for the houses. I grew up without AC so that is not a big deal. The big deal is not having trees, shade and wind. Houston is not prepared for a total power failure. What will the U.S. do if we ever lose electrical power in the cities?